Museu do Aljube – Resistência e Liberdade
Municipal museum housed in the former Aljube prison, dedicated to the memory of the struggle against the dictatorship and of resistance for freedom and democracy.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was opened on 25 April 2015 in the building of the former Aljube prison, in Lisbon. It is a municipal museum devoted to the history and memory of the struggle against the dictatorship (1926–1974) and to the recognition of the resistance in favour of freedom and democracy. It aims to fill a gap in the Portuguese museum landscape and to give value to the memory of the fight against the dictatorship in building an informed citizenship.
The word “aljube”, of Arabic origin, means well or cistern and came to designate a dark and deep prison. The building is thought to have served as a prison since the Muslim occupation of Lisbon, and was later an ecclesiastical prison and palace of the archbishops. It housed prisoners of ecclesiastical jurisdiction until 1820, women accused of common crimes until the end of the 1920s, and political prisoners of the Estado Novo between 1928 and 1965.
The long-term exhibition presents the history of the building, the nature of the dictatorial regime, the means of repression, the resistance of the opposition, the anticolonial struggle and the fall of the dictatorship on 25 April 1974. The museum also collects testimonies from former political prisoners and their families, and has a documentation centre with a digital archive.
Key themes
- Long-term exhibition on the dictatorship and the resistance (1926–1974)
- Former Aljube prison, a political prison of the Estado Novo
- Testimonies from former political prisoners
- Documentation centre with a digital archive
- Guided tours with Portuguese Sign Language and audio description
Permanent exhibition
- Exposição de longa duração – Shows the history of the building, the Portuguese dictatorial regime between 1926 and 1974, its means of repression, the resistance of the opposition, the anticolonial struggle and the fall of the dictatorship on 25 April 1974.
- Founded
- 2015
- Operated by
- EGEAC – Empresa de Gestão de Equipamentos e Animação Cultural (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Young people aged 13 to 25 (50% discount); seniors over 65 not resident in Lisbon, people with specific needs and workers of the Lisbon City Council (30% discount). |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Free admission up to age 12. |
| Seniors | €2.80Over 65 and not resident in Lisbon (30% discount); seniors resident in Lisbon enter free with the Passe Cultura. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €2.80companion free · Ticket at €2.80; one companion enters free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | €2Young people aged 13 to 25 (50% discount). |
Free admission: Sundays and public holidays until 14:00 for residents of the municipality of Lisbon; 25 April and 18 May (International Museum Day). Temporary exhibitions have free admission.
Free admission also for young people aged 13 to 23 and seniors resident in Lisbon with the Passe Cultura, unemployed people resident in the municipality, members of APOM and ICOM, accredited researchers and teachers, and tourism professionals and journalists on duty, with proof.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
The entrance has no steps and there are lifts on all floors; the museum has tactile paving and a wheelchair for loan at the ticket office. There is an adapted toilet on the fourth floor, portable rest seats, a pictographic guide, a sensory map, videos in Portuguese Sign Language, monthly guided tours with Portuguese Sign Language interpretation, audio-described tours, tactile plans and images, and a Braille guide. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
The museum's theme is political repression; the educational service works with schools and audiences of all ages.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Paragem em frente ao museu (autocarro 737, elétricos 12 e 28)
Lisbon Metro: Terreiro do Paço (Blue Line) or Baixa-Chiado (Blue/Green Line) stations, the nearest without steps. Opposite the museum there is a stop for bus 737 and trams 12 and 28.
Amenities & dining
- Lockers
There are lockers for storing belongings during the visit.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The educational service EducAljube organises guided visits for schools and other audiences, Tuesday to Sunday, with bookings from Monday to Friday. The museum is quieter on weekday mornings and busier at weekends. |
